Fan with slinger ring



Nov. 19, 1963 s. w. KLONOSKI FAN WITH SLINGER RING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 30. 1960 FIG. 3

IIVI/E/VTUI? STEPHEN W. KLONOSKI Nov. 19, 1963 FAN WITH SLINGER RING Filed June 50. 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 s. w. KLONOSKI 1 3,.

United States Patent 3,111,173 FAN WITH SLINGER RZNG Stephen W. Kionoski, Torrington, Conn, assignor to The Terrington Manufacturing Company, Toningten, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Filed June 30, 1960, Ser. No. 39,867 2 Claims. (Cl. 170-168) This invention relates to air moving fans and, more particularly, to air moving fans having attached slinger rings adapted to raise water upwardly from a sump or the like by capillary action for entrainment in an air stream generated by the fan.

One object of the invention is to provide a fan and slinger ring construction wherein the slinger ring is detachably connected to and around the fan blades, and wherein the said slinger ring may be detachably connected to the fan blades at any one of several axially spaced positions selectively and more readily than has heretofore been possible.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method for making a detachably connectible fan and slinger ring from a single sheet metal blank whereby to provide a substantial economic advantage.

The drawings show several embodiments of the invention and such embodiments will be described, but it will be understood that various changes may be made from the construction disclosed, and that the drawings and description are not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a fan with an attached slinger ring constituting a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the fan and slinger ring of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a single sheet metal blank from which the fan and slinger ring of FIGS. 1 and 2 may be formed.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary front view shot ing a portion of the slinger ring of FIG. 1 and an outer edge portion of one blade of the fan of P16. 1, the fan and slinger ring being in detached positions.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary front view similar to 6. 4, but showing the parts in connected positions.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a fan and slinger ring constituting an alternative embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the fan and slinger ring of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary front view similar to FIG. 5, but showing an alternative connecting means between a fan blade and a slinger ring.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to FIG. 8, but taken transversely through the slinger ring.

In accordance with the present invention and in fulfillment of the first above-mentioned object thereof, a fan and a slinger ring therefor are formed separately. The fan is adapted for rotation about a central axis and comprises a plurality of similar circumax-ially spaced generally radial blades which are arranged at similar pitch angles. The slinger ring is adapted to extend around the fan adjacent the outer edge portions of the fan blades. Connecting means adjacent said outer edge portions of the fan blades provide for snap engagement and detachable connection of the slinger ring with said edge portions of the blades upon movement of the slinger ring to a predetermined position around the fan. Though detachable for ease in maintenance of the fan and slinger ring, the connection between the fan and the slinger ring is such that relative rotation of said two elements as well as relative axial movement of the elements is positively prevented.

3,3 l Hi3 Patented Nov. 19, 1%63 ice In further accord with the present invention and in fulfillment of the second above-mentioned object thereof, provision is made for construction of a detachably connectible fan and slinger ring from a single sheet metal blank. The fan is formed from a central portion of the blank and the slinger ring is formed separately from an annular portion of the blank around said central portion. In forming the fan and slinger ring, provision is made for the detachable connection of the ring to and around the fan without the use of separate connecting means. Thus, the advantages of a detachably connectible fan and slinger ring are obtained and at the same time substantial savings in material and overall production costs are realized.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will be observed that a fan indicated generally at 10 includes a hub 11, a central hub section 12 and integral blades 14, 14. Four blades l4, 14 are shown and they extend generally radially from the hub section 12 for rotation about a central hub axis 16. The blades are equally spaced circumaxially and are arranged at similar pitch angles for their air moving function as best shown in FIG. 2. A strengthening rib 17 is preferably formed for each blade 14 and extends generally radially from and on the central hub section -12 outwardly on and throughout a portion of the radial dimension of the blade.

A slinger ring indicated generally at 18 comprises a body portion 20 and an annular radially inwardly projecting flange 22. A plurality of tabs 24, 24 are formed on the flange 22 and project radially inwardly therefrom. Four tabs 24, 24 are provided when the fan has four blades as shown and said tabs are equally spaced circumaxially around the flange 22..

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the slinger ring 18 is shown detachably connected to the fan It) and, more specifically, said ring is detachably connected to the outer edge portion of each blade 14 of the fan and the ring extends around said outer edge portions of the blades. The means by which the fan and slinger ring are detachabiy connected together in the FIGS. 1 and 2 embodiment of the invention includes interengaging or interlocking notches and, more specifically, said means includes interengaging or interlocking edges or walls of such notches. As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, each of the fan blades 14, 14 has a notch 26 formed in its outer edge portion. Each of the notches 26, 26 opens outwardly and the several notches 26, 26 are arranged in an annular series in a common radial plane as best illustrated in FIG. 2. The base portion of the edge 23 of each notch 26 provides a generally radially outwardly facing surface which is engageable with a generally radially inwardly facing surface on the slinger ring 18 to connect the said ring to the fan 10. The said generally radially inwardly facing surface may comprise an inner edge on the slinger ring such as an inner edge of a tab 24- but in the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5, said surface constitutes the base portion of an edge 34} of a notch 32 in the tab 24. That is, each of the tabs 24 has an inwardly open notch 32 formed therein with an edge 3% and the base portions of said notch edges respectively engage the base portions of the edges 28, 28 of the notches 26, 26 when the fan and slinger ring are detachably connected together.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 5, the diameter of the inner edges of the tabs 2.4, 24 is somewhat less than the peripheral diameter of the fan blades 14, 14. That is, the outer edges of the fan blades 14-, 14 project outwardly beyond the inner edges of the tabs 24, 24 when the fan and slinger ring are connected together. The depths of the notches 26, 26 and the notches 32, 32 are such that the base portions of their respective edges 3%, 3i and 28, 28 firmly engage each other in an interference fit when the fan and slinger ring are so connected. To effect this notchto-notch connection of the fan with the slinger ring, the fan blades 14, 1-4 are flexed to reduce their peripheral diameter and are thereafter released when the fan and slinger ring have been moved relatively so that the blade and tab notches are in registry with each other. Thereafter, the side portions of the notch edges 23, 28 and the notch edges 3%, 3i prevent relative rotation between the fan 16 and the slinger ring 13 and they also prevent relative axial movement between said elements.

lFrom the foregoing, it will be apparent that the selective connection of the slinger ring 18 with the fan It? at axially spaced positions may be readily provided for. The outer edge portions of the fan blades 14, 14 each lie in a common imaginary cylinder having its center line coincident with the axis 16 of the fan as best shown in FIG. 1. Thus, the said edge portions are equidistant from the axis 16 and the slinger ring may be readily attached thereto at selected axially spaced positions merely by providing appropriate additional blade notches similar to the notches 26, 26 but spaced axially from said notches. Although only one set of blade notches 26, 26 are shown, it is within the scope of the invention to provide several sets or annular series of such blade notches 26, 26 permitting the slinger ring 13 to be attached to the fan in at selected axially spaced positions.

in FIG. 3 there is shown a single sheet metal blank from which the fan and slinger ring of FlGS. l and 2 may be formed in carrying out the method of the present invention. The fan may be formed from. a central portion it? of the blank and the slinger ring 18 may be formed from an annular portion 18* of said blank around said central portion it). The particular cutting and forming operations employed in carrying out the method of the present invention may be conventional and the said operations as well as the sequences in which they are performed need not be described in detail herein. It will suflice to point out that the fan It} and slinger ring 18 may be provided by cutting and forming along the various cut and bend lines shown respectively in dot and dot-dash line form in PEG. 3. It is important to note, however, that the tabs 24, 24 on the flange 22 of the slinger ring are or may be for-med of sections 24 24 in remaining parts 34, 34 of the blank disposed between parts 14*, 14* from which the blades 14, 14 are formed. Thus, the aforementioned desired relationship of the diameters of the inner edges of the tabs 24, 24 and the outer edges of the blades 14, 14 may be provided for. That is, the tabs 24, 24 may be for-med so as to project radially inwardly beyond the outer edges of the blades 14, 14 when the fan and slinger ring are assembled and connected together.

After the blank of FIG. 3 has been cut and formed as required to separately provide the fan and slinger ring of FIGS. 1 and 2, the said two elements may be detachably connected together by flexing the blades to reduce their peripheral diameter as described above. In one assembly procedure, the fan and the slinger ring may be moved axially with respect to each other so that the slinger ring is disposed around the fan with the fan blades 14, 14 disposed between the tabs 24, 24. Thereafter, the fan and the slinger ring may be rotated with respect to each other to engage the outer edge portions of the fan blades 14, 14 with the tabs 24, 24 and to bend or flex the blades whereby to reduce their peripheral diameter permitting the snap engagement of the blade notches with the tab notches. In an alternative assembly procedure, the fan blades 14, 14 may be flexed simultaneously to reduce their peripheral diameter with the slinger ring and fan held apart. Thereafter the slinger ring may be moved axially to a position around the fan wherein the tab notches 32 and 32 are in registry with the blade notches 26, 26. Subsequent release of the blades 14, 14 will result in interengagernent of the tab and blade notches with a snap movement and will effect the desired connection of the slinger ring with the fan.

In FIGS. 6 and 7, an alternative fan and slinger ring construction is shown. A fan indicated generally at 36 is similar to the fan 10, but has six blades 3-8, 33 and is formed of two or more separate but connected parts. As shown, diametrically opposite blades 33, 38 are formed in one piece. Thus, the fan is formed of three parts each of which comprises two diametrically opposite blades 38, 33. The said three parts are disposed in overlaying relationship adjacent their central or connecting portions and they are held in assembled relationship with each other by means of a hub 40 as best illustrated in 'FIG. 7. The

lades 3-8, 38 are in ovenlapping relationship with each other along their side edge portions as best shown in FIG. 6, but they are circumaxially spaced from each other due to their pitch angles which are preferably similar as shown. Such overlapping of the side edge portions of the blades provides a fan which is in some respects superior to the fan of FIGS. 1 and 2 in operating efiiciency.

A slinger ring 42 in FIGS. 6 and 7 is similar to the slinger ring 13 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and has a body portion 44 and an annular flange 46 which projects generally radially inwardly. The slinger ring 42 is disposed around the fan blades 3%, 38 and is detachably connected thereto by means of a notch-to-notch connection substantially identical with that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Each of the blades 38, 38 has a notch 48 in its outer edge portion and said notches open outwardly and are arranged in an annular series approximately in a common radial plane. The flange 46 of the slinger ring 42 has no tabs, such as the tabs 24, 24, but the minimum diameter of said flange is some-what smaller than the peripheral diameter of the fan blades 33, 33. T hu s, circuniaxially spaced inwardly open notches 5t St in the flange 46 can be interengaged or interlocked with the notches 48, 48 in the blades 32, 38 to eifect a detachable connection of the slinger ring 42 to the fan 46. The method of assembling the fan and slinger ring and effecting such connection will be obvious and involves the flexing of the blades 38, 38 to reduce their peripheral diameters and the snap engagement of the blade and flange notches.

Further, with respect to the connection of the slinger ring 42 to the fan 46, it is to be observed that the outer edge portions of the blades 38, 38 are similar to the aforedescribed corresponding edge portions of the fan blades 14, 14. That is, the outer edge portions of blades 38, 38 lie in an imaginary cylinder with its center line coincident with the axis of rotation of the fan 36 or, it may be said that the outer edges of the fan blades 38, 38 are equidistant from the axis of rotation of the fan. Thus, the slinger ring 42 may be detachably connected to the fan 36 at selected spaced axial positions in the manner described above for the fan and slinger ring of FIGS. 1 and 2.

In FIGS. 8 and 9, an alternative means for effecting a detachable connection between a fan and slinger ring is shown. Said alternative connecting means comprises a spring connector 52 adapted to engage and 'frictionally hold a flange 54 of a slinger ring 56 having a body 58. With the use of spring connectors 52 on each of a plurality of fan blades such as the blade 60 shown, there is no necessity for notches in the flange 54 of the associated slinger ring, but said slinger ring must be spaced radially from the outer edge portion of the fan blades as shown. The outer edge portions of the fan blades 60, 60 need not be provided with notches, but other openings in the form of slots 62, 62 in the blades are required.

In the presently preferred form, each spring connector 52 is formed of spring wire and has a gene-rally W-shaped compressible inner portion 64 and an integral generally Z-shaped outer portion 66 which is deflectible inwardly by engagement with the slinger ring flange 54. The generally W-shaped inner portion 64 is adapted to be entered in and compressed in a slot 62 in a blade 60 as shown in FIG. 9 to attach the connectorto the blade. A recess 62 defined by one arm '65 of the W-shaped portion 64 and by one arm 67 of the Z-shaped portion 66 of the connector receives a portion of the blade adjacent the outer end of the slot 62 therein and a second recess 69 defined by the other arm 71 of the connector portion 64 and by an integral ear 73 thereon similarly receives a portion of the blade adjacent the inner end of said slot. Entrance of the said blade portions respectively in the recesses 63 and 69 obviously serves to securely hold the connector portion 64 in compressed condition in the blade slot 62 and results in a positive but detachable connection of the connector to the blade.

The generally Z-shaped outer portion 66 of each spring connector 52 projects outwardly beyond the outer edge of a blade 69 when the inner portion of the connector is entered in the slot 62 to secure the connector to the blade. Said outer portion 66 has a generally radially outwardly facing surface 68 which frictionally engages a generally radially inwardly facing surface comprising a portion of the inner edge of the slinger ring flange 54. The surface 68 forms the base wall of a recess 75 defined by and between the body 77 of the Z-shaped portion 66 and the other arm 79 thereof, said other arm 79 being engaged by a side surface of the slinger ring flange 54. It will be seen that the body 77 of the Z-shaped portion 66 will be deflected inwardly by the inner edge of the flange 54 if the connector is properly dimensioned with the result that the flange will be held frictionally by the connector as mentioned.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that each blade 60 of a fan may be provided with a slot 62 and that a spring connector 52 may be attached to each blade by entrance of its inner portion 64 in the blade slot. A slinger ring 56 may then be detachably connected to the fan by snapping the flange 54 thereon into the recesses 75, 75 in the Z-shaped portions 66, 66 of the spring connectors. Detachable connection of the slinger ring to the fan at selected axially spaced positions may be provided for by storming slots, such as the slots 62, 62, in the fan blades 60, 60 whereby to attach spring connectors 52, 52 to said blades at appropriate axial positions for the desired axial position of the ring.

The invention claimed is:

1. The combination of a fan rotatable about a central axis and comprising a plurality of similar circumaxially spaced generally radial blades arrranged at similar pitch angles, a slinger ring disposed around the fan adjacent and outwardly of the outer edge portions of the fan blades, and a spring connector on each tan blade adjacent the outer edge portion thereof, said spring connectors having resilient outwardly projecting slinger ring engaging portions which are deflected inwardly by the said ring and which exert reactive forces thereon to frictionally and detachably hold the same in position around said fan.

2. The combination of a fan rotatable about a central axis and comprising a plurality of similar circumaxially spaced generally radial blades which are arranged at similar pitch angles and which have similar slots adjacent their outer edge portions which slots are arranged in an annular series approximately in a common radial plane, a slinger ring disposed around the fan adjacent and outwardly of said outer edge portions of the fan blades, and a plurality of spring connectors serving respectively to detachably connect said fan blades to said ring, said spring connectors having compressible inner portions which are entered in the slots in the corresponding fan blades and which engage the slot edges and are compressed thereby to secure the connectors to the said blades, and said connectors also having resilient outwardly projecting slinger ring engaging portions which are deflected inwardly by said ring and which exert reactive forces thereon to frictionally hold the same in position around the fan.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 5,364 Montgomery Apr. 22, 1873 673,468 Cove May 7, 1901 1,029,907 Arnold June 18, 1912 1,072,189 Sparks Sept. 2, 1913 1,417,470 Delia et a1. May 23, 1922 1,707,463 Ford Apr. 2, 1929 1,986,867 Walsh Jan. 8, 1935 2,487,860 Enos Nov. 15, 1949 2,696,171 Jandasek et a1. Dec. 7, 1954 2,779,424 Lyon Jan. 29, 1957 2,785,009 Stocking Mar. 12, 1957 2,806,361 Kline Sept. 17, 1957 2,853,140 Forth Sept. 23, 1958 3,028,072 Atalla Apr. 3, 1962 

1. THE COMBINATION OF A FAN ROTATABLE ABOUT A CENTRAL AXIS AND COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SIMILAR CIRCUMAXIALLY SPACED GENERALLY RADIAL BLADES ARRANGED AT SIMILAR PITCH ANGLES, A SLINGER RING DISPOSED AROUND THE FAN ADJACENT AND OUTWARDLY OF THE OUTER EDGE PORTIONS OF THE FAN BLADES, AND A SPRING CONNECTOR ON EACH FAN BLADE ADJACENT THE OUTER EDGE PORTION THEREOF, SAID SPRING CONNECTORS HAVING RESILIENT OUTWARDLY PROJECTING SLINGER RING ENGAGING PORTIONS WHICH ARE DEFLECTED INWARDLY BY THE SAID RING AND WHICH EXERT REACTIVE FORCES THEREON TO FRICTIONALLY AND DETACHABLY HOLD THE SAME IN POSITION AROUND SAID FAN. 